The San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles are facing off in a highly-anticipated NFC Championship Game on Sunday, which marks a matchup between the two most complete rosters in the NFL.
However, the paths that each team took to reach their final destination were completely different, as the 49ers struggled to begin the season, starting 3-4 before winning their past 12 games, while the Eagles began the season 13-1 before dropping two of their last three games.
But, there is one clear similarity when discussing the two teams ahead of the NFC Championship Game: the past does NOT matter.
The 49ers
When the 49ers entered Week 8, sitting at a 3-4 record with losses to the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, and the Kansas City Chiefs, they were a completely different team than the one that stands in front of us today.
The 49ers had two different quarterbacks: Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, while also sporting cornerback Emmanuel Moseley during the stretch, and were without Christian McCaffrey, who is their offensive MVP for the 2022 season, despite playing just half the season with the team.
So, it's unnecessary and irrelevant to address that version of the 49ers when discussing their flaws, because that's not the team that San Francisco will show up with on Sunday.
Even looking at Week 13, when the 49ers had their second quarterback change of the season following Jimmy Garoppolo's injury, they were a different team, as Brock Purdy had never seen the ups and downs that come with an NFL career.
Injuries change the outlook of a team week-to-week, which is why it's vital not to stress on prior games when evaluating a team, although obtaining and utilizing the data from those games can be valuable, when addressed with the proper context.
The Eagles
Even with the Eagles' hot start, it's unfair to look back on their early-season games and compare that to the team they've currently had, due to the additions they've made or the injuries they've overcome.
When pointing to their early-season Commanders' loss, that isn't indicative of their performance in the current-day, because the Eagles have learned to make adjustments when defenses combat their schemes, which has been seen when they played their division rivals a second time this season with a healthy roster.
Moreover, the past doesn't matter because the Eagles and 49ers haven't seen a roster like each other's yet, which will ultimately be their biggest tests of the season.
Additionally, the game plan to combat each other's attacks differs from previous games due to the differing strengths of each team.
With the way that the 49ers and Eagles match up roster-wise, this could be the strongest two teams to face off at this stage in recent history, making it a must-see on Sunday.
Jason Kelce: 49ers adding Javon Hargrave "not going to make it any easier" for Eagles
By David Bonilla
Mar 19
Adding Javon Hargrave was a huge (and shocking) addition by the San Francisco 49ers. While it seems like a perfect fit and addresses a significant team need, no one saw it coming. The Niners didn't have considerable salary cap space, so signing Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million deal was unexpected.
The former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle, nicknamed "Grave Digger," joins a defensive line that includes NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, bolstering the middle of that unit.
One of the defender's former teammates is happy for Hargrave and his financial good fortune. However, he also knows the loss could be problematic for the defending NFC champions in the upcoming season.
"I'm happy for my man, Grave Digger," Eagles
Podcast: 49ers with Grant Cohn: Are the 49ers the favorites in the NFC with Trey Lance?
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Mar 24
Rohan Chakravarthi and Grant Cohn discuss whether the 49ers are favorites in the NFC after free agency.
The audio for the show is embedded above, while the video is available below.
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You can listen to "The Rohan Chakravarthi Show" from our
No Huddle Podcast: 49ers & NFC West Free Agency Updates
By Site Staff
Mar 25
(Episode 224) - Brian Renick and Zain Naqvi discuss an upcoming position battle on offense, how the cap situation can be fixed, who presents a real threat to the 49ers in the division, how there isn't a middle class in free agency, and more!
The audio for the show is embedded above. Don't forget to subscribe!
You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from our dedicated podcast page, on
49ers considered trading Mike McGlinchey last year
By David Bonilla
Mar 25
Mike McGlinchey received a life-changing payday, signing a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Denver Broncos. The offensive tackle has known for a while that he would not return to the San Francisco 49ers, the only NFL team he has played for and the one that made him the No. 9 overall pick in 2018.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear to McGlinchey that he was likely playing his final months for the team. There was too much money invested in other spots, and the 49ers knew they couldn't compete with other interested teams.
Behind the scenes, Lynch and Shanahan kept McGlinchey in the loop of what the team was thinking, and everything pointed to the tackle playing elsewhere in 2023 … maybe even
